Word Origin & History

"hold a second job, especially at night," 1957 (implied in moonlighting), from moonlighter (1954), from the notion of working by the light of the moon; see moonlight (n.). Related: Moonlighting. Earlier the word had been used to mean "commit crimes at night" (1882).

Example Sentences for moonlighter

Moonlighter's jockey saw he was beaten for the moment at least and took a pull.

And Ralph's doubts in regard to the moonlighter's sanity increased each moment.

Before the terrified boys and girls could comply the father appeared and shot a moonlighter dead in his tracks.